Mud Structure / Architecture for Humanity Tehran - Rai Studio

The exploratory mud structure project, designed and built by Architecture for Humanity Tehran (Rai Studio) + Architecture Faculty of Razi University, demonstrates a strong focus on humanitarian design through sustainable and low budget construction methodologies. The workshop not only provided the students with an enriched academic experience, but the opportunity to reach out to an underdeveloped region. More images and their description after the break.

The following text is by Ken Smith from the Headquarter of Architecture for Humanity in San Francisco: After spending several months with us in our headquarters office, our good friend and colleague, Pouya Khazaeli, returned to his native Iran to begin work on an exploratory mud structure project in Kermanshah, Iran. He and his ambitious team of designers and university students are eager to spread the practice of humanitarian design, and have a particular interest in sustainable and inexpensive construction techniques for the undeveloped region on the border between western Iran and eastern Iraq. The prototype dwelling consists of a bamboo structure, tree branches and walls made out of mud. The tree branches came from a number of trees the mayor of Kermanshah had removed for a transit project. The cost of each unit is $900 USD and the team aims to build 10 to 20 dwellings in total. The 25-day workshop provided participating students with the opportunity to learn sustainable earth architecture construction methods complementing their academic curriculum in design. The first prototype structure will serve as a student pavilion at the University of Razi.

As a result of the project in Kermanshah, the team has been invited to participate in the festival Grains D’Isère 2012 in France. Teams will build an entire village for children using different earth architecture techniques. The workshop, entitled “The houses of the Three Little Pigs,” is based on a scientific and artistic approach exposing children to natural materials in a way that creates awareness on the richness and diversity of their environment. Project by: Architecture for Humanity Tehran (Rai Studio) + Architecture Faculty of Razi University Location: Kermanshah, Iran Project Lead: Pouya Khazaeli Parsa Design Team: Mohammad Pourhassani, Saman Yamini Collaborators: Nastaran Shahbazi, Farzane Rafee, Zohre Yousefi, Kaveh Akef Local Management: Reza Torabi, Mirza Asgari, Kamyar Salavati, Soheil Taheri, Boshra Javaheri, Maryam Shahrokhi Materials: Mud, Branche, Bamboo Construction: 20 February 2012 – 8 March 2012 US Support: Ken Smith